City Trout Nursery Spawned Over A Century Ago Field Sports

May 15, 1988|by CHARLES H. NEHF, The Morning Call

In the months ahead, thousands of persons will be visiting the Queen City Trout Nursery along the Little Lehigh to view - and many to feed - the lively trout in the ponds. Parents, grandparents and kids alike will be taking a great delight in spending an hour or so at one of Allentown's great natural attractions.

Digging back into the history of the local trout nursery, as compiled by Barton M. Snyder of Allentown, we rely heavily on the "Memoirs of the late Nolan P. Benner", the latter edited by reporter Dick Cowen of The Morning Call .

"The trout hatchery, three miles southwest of Allentown and surrounded by wooded hillsides and a babbling stream, was begun in 1883 - 105 years ago," reads the opening sentence of Benner's account of "The General (Harry C. Trexler) and his Captain (Nolan P. Benner)."

The property was then owned by Reuben Troxell who leased the property to the State of Pennsylvania for "fish hatchery purposes." At that time, John S. Creveling appeared on the scene to construct, and then manage, the hatchery for the fish commission.

In 1903, the state moved its hatchery operation to Bellefonte. The Troxell heirs continued to raise trout in a limited capacity until 1907 when Gen. Trexler purchased the property.

At that time, the ponds and buildings were in terrible disrepair. The general virtually started from scratch by constructing larger rearing and nursing ponds. He retained the services of Creveling for a number of years but, in the summer of 1920, employed Clayton Reisch, a former State Fish Commission employee, as manager.

Shortly thereafter, the general purchased the adjoining 100-acre Bieber farm. In 1926, work was begun on constructing a large rearing pond on the east side of the Little Lehigh Creek to be fed by a raceway from a dam upstream. A water wheel and pump were installed along the bank to pump creek water into the West side ponds.

This process provided more oxygen to the water in the ponds and also augmented the flow of crystal clear water from the natural springs on the property.

For many years the Trexler Trout Nursery flourished. During all that time, the grounds were open to the public and was one of our area's most popular spots for sightseers.

The general's untimely death made it necessary to liquidate this business and invest its money in securities. No provision was made by the general in his will as to the disposition of the hatchery.

From the period of 1940-'49, there was plenty of action in deciding what was to become of this great tourist attraction and natural asset.

* 1940 - Congressman Charles Gerlach introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to authorize the U.S. Dept. of the Interior to acquire the hatchery.

* 1940 - Almost at the same time, the Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs in Lehigh County, with its roster of 24 affiliated clubs and a paid membership in excess of 15,000 members, suggested to the Trexler Trustees a sale to the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. The trustees agreed - provided the price and terms could be agreed upon.

* 1943 - Nothing really happened in these three years, so the Lehigh County Federation renewed its interest in the state's acquiring the hatchery. A resolution was prepared by the federation to City Council for the leasing of additional land out of Little Lehigh Parkway, which the state indicated was needed to enlarge the hatchery.

A committee reported to the fish commission in Jan., 1944 that the city was prepared to enter into a long-term lease at nominal rental for the meadowlands above and below the hatchery. Plans were on the board to make this a postwar project "to develop the hatchery into one of the state's largest fish-propagating units."

The chief engineer for the fish commission planned to construct 82 ponds with a total water area of 18 acres.

There was some apprehension by the city that the enlarged hatchery might pollute Allentown's chief water supplier - the Little Lehigh. A subsequent investigation by a State Health Department official reported that the Little Lehigh "would not be prejudicially affected" by the proposed enlarged state hatchery.

With all this publicity, the Trexler Trustees received offers from two other sources: Erwin Michelfelder of Phila. and Judge G. Edward Gangloff of Schuylkill County. In both cases, the price bid was higher than the state offer.

Legal advice was sought by the trustees and the Lehigh County Court ruled that the trustees had the power to sell the estate's assets and the court could not be expected to give an advisory opinion.

* 1945 - In Aug., 1945, the state petitioned the court to restrain the trustees from selling to anyone other than the Commonwealth. The petition was presented by Sen. O.J. Tallman, special counsel to Atty. Gen. James H. Duff.